{"operation":"document","citation":"16 TAC § 8.101","title":"Pipeline Integrity Assessment and Management Plans for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines","source_type":"regulation","agency":"Railroad Commission of Texas","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":null,"effective_on":"2024-12-09","summary":"(a) This section does not apply to plastic pipelines. (b) By February 1, 2002, operators of intrastate transmission lines subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192 or pipeline facilities used in the transportation of hazardous liquids or carbon dioxide subject to 49 CFR Part 195 shall have desi","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101","source_url":"https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?chapter=8&interface=VIEW_TAC&part=1&title=16","body":"(a) This section does not apply to plastic pipelines.\n(b) By February 1, 2002, operators of intrastate\ntransmission lines subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Part\n192 or pipeline facilities used in the transportation of\nhazardous liquids or carbon dioxide subject to 49 CFR Part\n195 shall have designated on a system-by-system or segment\nwithin each system basis whether the pipeline operator has\nchosen to use the risk-based analysis pursuant to paragraph\n(1) of this subsection or the prescriptive plan authorized by\nparagraph (2) of this subsection. Hazardous liquid pipeline\noperators using the risk-based plan shall complete at least\n50% of the initial assessments by January 1, 2006, and the\nremainder by January 1, 2011; operators using the\nprescriptive plan shall complete the initial integrity testing by\nJanuary 1, 2006, or January 1, 2011, pursuant to the\nrequirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection. Natural gas\npipeline operators using the risk-based plan shall complete at\nleast 50% of the initial assessments by December 17, 2007,\nand the remainder by December 17, 2012; operators using\nthe prescriptive plan shall complete the initial integrity\ntesting by December 17, 2007, or December 17, 2012,\npursuant to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this\nsubsection.\n(1) The risk-based plan shall contain at a minimum:\n(A) identification of the pipelines and pipeline\nsegments or sections in each system covered by the plan;\n(B) a priority ranking for performing the integrity\n\nassessment of pipeline segments of each system based on an\nanalysis of risks that takes into account:\n(i) population density;\n(ii) immediate response area designation, which, at a\nminimum, means the identification of significant threats to\nthe environment (including but not limited to air, land, and\nwater) or to the public health or safety of the immediate\nresponse area;\n(iii) pipeline configuration;\n(iv) prior in-line inspection data or reports;\n(v) prior pressure test data or reports;\n(vi) leak and incident data or reports;\n(vii) operating characteristics such as established\nmaximum allowable operating pressures (MAOP) for gas\npipelines or maximum operating pressures (MOP) for liquids\npipelines, leak survey results, cathodic protection surveys,\nand product carried;\n(viii) construction records, including at a minimum\nbut not limited to the age of the pipe and the operating\nhistory;\n(ix) pipeline specifications; and\n(x) any other data that may assist in the assessment\nof the integrity of pipeline segments;\n(C) assessment of pipeline integrity using at least one\nof the following methods appropriate for each segment:\n(i) in-line inspection;\n(ii) pressure test;\n(iii) direct assessment;\n(iv) for gas pipelines only, guided wave ultrasonic\ntesting (GWUT);\n(v) for gas pipelines only, excavation with direct in\nsitu examination; or\n(iv) other technology or assessment methodology not\nspecifically listed in this paragraph after approval by the\ndirector.\n(D) management methods for the pipeline segments\nwhich may include remedial action or increased inspections\nas necessary;\n(E) periodic review of the pipeline integrity assessment\nand management plan every 36 months, or more frequently if\nnecessary; and\n(F) re-assessment intervals not to exceed the following:\n(i) for pipelines subject to 49 CFR Part 195, a\nmaximum interval of 10 years for onshore line pipe that can\naccommodate inspection by means of in-line inspection\ntools; or\n(ii) for pipelines subject to 49 CFR Part §192.710, a\nmaximum interval of 10 years.\n(2) Operators electing not to use the risk-based plan in\nparagraph (1) of this subsection shall conduct a pressure test\nor an in-line inspection and take remedial action in\naccordance with the following schedule:\nFigure 1: 16 TAC §8.110(b)(2)\nFigure 2: 16 TAC §8.110(b)(2) [See Figures at end of this\ndocument.]\n(c) Within 185 days after receipt of notice that an\noperator's plan is complete, the Commission shall either\nnotify the operator of the acceptance of the plan or shall\ncomplete an evaluation of the plan to determine compliance\nwith this section.\n(d) After the completion of the assessment required under\neither plan, the operator shall promptly remove defects that\nare immediate hazards and, no later than the next test\ninterval, shall mitigate any anomalies identified by the test\nthat could reasonably be predicted to become hazardous\n\ndefects. For pipelines subject to 49 CFR §192.710, an\noperator shall follow the remediation requirements required\nby 49 CFR §192.710(f).\n(e) If a pipeline that is not subject to this section undergoes\nany change in circumstances that results in the pipeline\nbecoming subject to this section, then the operator of such\npipeline shall establish integrity of the pipeline pursuant to\nthe requirements of this section prior to any further\noperation. Such changes include but are not limited to an\naddition to the pipeline, change in the operating pressure of\nthe pipeline, change from inactive to active status, change in\npopulation in the area of the pipeline, or change of operator\nof the pipeline segment. If a pipeline segment is acquired by\na new operator, the pipeline segment can continue to be\noperated without establishing pipeline integrity as long as the\nnew operator utilizes the prior operator's operation and\nmaintenance procedures for this pipeline segment. If the\npopulation in the area of a pipeline segment changes, the\npipeline segment can continue to operate without\nestablishing pipeline integrity until such time as the operator\ndetermines whether or not the change in population affects\nthe criteria applicable to the integrity management program,\nbut for no longer than the time frames established under 49\nCFR Part 192 or 195.\n\nFigure 1: 16 TAC §8.101(b)(2) GAS TRANSMISSION LINES Size Pressure Class 2, 3, 4 Class 1 Offshore Less than 100 psig n/a n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Less than or equal to 8 inches Greater than 100 psig and less than 20% SMYS 10 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Less than 100 psig n/a n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 8 inches Greater than 100 psig and less than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals 10 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator\n\nFigure 2: 16 TAC §8.101(b)(2) LIQUIDS PIPELINES Hazardous Liquids Non Rural Rural Crossing of Navigable Waterways Offshore Crude Transmission 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Crude Gathering 5 year intervals *10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator HVL 5 year intervals 5 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Products 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Carbon Dioxide 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator *only for onshore line pipe that can accommodate inspection by means of in-line inspection tools","truncated":false,"body_characters":7073}